West of Shanghai

West of Shanghai is an excellent movie, dealing with a cast of Western characters who travel to China for a variety of reasons, who are forced to deal with a warlord named General Fang, played by Boris Karloff. It is Karloff’s performance that makes an otherwise ordinary movie memorable.

Boris Karloff as General Wu Yen Fang, with his right-hand man Mr. Cheng to one side, and the man who accepted a bribe on the other

In West of Shanghai, General Wu Yen Fang is one of those movie villains what is memorable, enjoyable to watch — and makes the viewer grateful that they’re not having to deal with him. General Wang has his own warped sense of morality — it would be wrong to steal money, but not to force someone to give it to him. He’s willing to commit murder — as repayment for a double-cross. He feels that he owes his life to one of the Westerners, and treats him as his friend … until he’s forced to put him in front of a firing squad.

Synopsis of West of Shanghai

West of Shanghai deals with Gordon Creed (Ricardo Cortez), a Western businessman, who travels to a remote site in China, hoping to obtain the rights to a large oil reserve owned by wildcatter Jim Hallet (Gordon Oliver), who is in danger of losing the land in foreclosure. Creed’s estranged wife, Jane (Beverly Roberts) is working as a missionary there and has fallen in love with Hallet. When a warlord named General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff) takes over the area, Gordon Creed tries to use him to cheat Hallet out of his land and escape from the warlord. Unfortunately for him, however, years ago Hallet saved the life of a young Chinese “coolie” (yes, the movie uses that term) — who later rose through the ranks to become Fang; and Fang now considers Hallet to be his friend.

Jane Creed holds a gun on General Fang (Boris Karloff)

West of Shanghai is very enjoyable, and well-acted by all involved. The love triangle is interesting, and Gordon Creed is truly despicable, as he’s willing to obtain the oil field, including sacrificing his own wife to Fang, cross Hallet, and try to double-cross Fang himself. Fang, for all of his cold-blooded murders, has a code of honor that he lives by — and others tend to die by it.

In addition to the wonderful job that Boris Karloff does as the delightfully despicable Fang, Richard Loo also deserves kudos as Fang’s right-hand man, the ever-reliable Mr. Cheng. In short, West of Shanghai is a delight to watch and highly recommended.

Movie quotes from West of Shanghai

Jane Creed (Beverly Roberts): You’ve killed thousands of people.General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): Too many people in China. Kill only man… only bad man. When I kill bad man, I feel good. I have done good deed.Jane Creed (Beverly Roberts): …and who decides whether a man is good or bad?General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): I do! I am Fang!

General Ma: Sorry to cause you this trouble. We have found the murderer.
[Suspect has been lead outside]Myron Galt (Douglas Wood): I’m certainly glad you found him.Lola Galt (Sheila Bromley): What are you going to do with him?Gordon Creed (Ricardo Cortez): [Laconically after the sound of firing squad report] They’re gonna bury him.

General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): [Introducing himself to the Westerners in the room] How do you do? I am Fang. I speak no sound bad English. I think I make you understand.Dr. Abernathy (Gordon Hart): We understand, General. We are your prisoners.General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff) (Boris Karloff): No, I your guest. But please not to leave the town. It’s not nice – make Fang mad.

Gordon Creed (Ricardo Cortez): You tell General Fang that I’d like to speak to him at once. You savvy?Mr. Cheng (Richard Loo): It isn’t necessary to speak pidgin English. I speak the language quite as fluently as you do.Gordon Creed (Ricardo Cortez): You tell General Fang I’d like to see him at once.Mr. Cheng (Richard Loo): Impossible. The General is entertaining Mrs.Creed.
[brandishes gun]Mr. Cheng (Richard Loo): I’d advise you to move on. Please.

General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): This your woman I got here?Jim Hallet (Gordon Oliver): I don’t know, but I’m interested.General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): Is all right. I give her back to you. What one woman between friends?

Jane Creed (Beverly Roberts): [about his meteoric rise in rank] But how did you manage it so quickly?General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): One day the captain is killed… I become captain. The next day the major… I become major. By and by the colonel… I become colonel. I kill the general myself.

General Wu Yen Fang (Boris Karloff): [to Jane Creed] You are very beautiful, even in daylight.